Bonaparte's Gull ~ Crossness, London - 22.05.12

Monday 28 May 2012

For those of you that don't know about this gull you can read the finder's report 

Multiple visits to hopefully get closer than a mile away views finally paid off well nearly, it flew in at the incinerator  and was half a mile away instead !!!

500 + 2x = 1000mm and mega cropped

Bonaparte's Gull

Amazingly Richard B has found a 2nd bird ...

Yellow-Legged Gull ~ Majorca, Spain ~ Puerto Pollenca - 02.05.12

Tuesday 15 May 2012

After the superb encounter with the Tawny Pipit at Son Real, we headed back to Puerto Pollenca for dinner.
Leaving the town towards Alcudia and at the penultimate round-about a farmer was ploughing and c.250 gull's with more dropping in continually, were feeding behind the plough ...
Most mainly adults, with the odd 3rd & 2nd year types.

I've never seen so many Yellow-legged Gull's gathered together before ...
In conversation with other birder's they were saying that these were ..

L. Argentatus - yellow legged type.

Now unless im missing the blatantly obvious all features point towards 

Yellow-Legged Gull
Larus michahellis










A couple of distant dodgy ones on the deck ...



Then another try for the Stone Curlew which were further away !!
We'll get 'em ..





Audouin's Gull ~ Majorca, Spain ~ 29.04.12

Wednesday 9 May 2012

Set off at 02:00am to meet Richard, for a 05:40am Flight with Easyjet to Majorca.
Renting a friends apartment in Puerto Pollenca nicely located for all the main sites.
I was looking forward to a return to this laid back Island and some good birding !!!
Flight was good, as i slept the whole way and then the problems started ?
In a nut-shell ....
Massive queue for car hire !!
An hour later still a massive queue !
Finally got to the desk ...
Wouldn't accept my card ?
Wouldn't take Richard's card as it needed to be in my name ??
Stuff 'em found a bloke within 5 mins and minus 175 euro's we had a car ...
Ticket wouldn't read to get out the car park !!
To the machine 50 cents and 20 mins to get out ...
Back to the exit, ticket in barrier, barrier go's up !!
Wait for ticket barrier comes down !!
Now .. no ticket and barrier down !!
What a dickhead ...
Panic sets in, I reverse, not really sure why ? And smashed the barrier down !!!
Yeah, there was a barrier behind the car which is now on the floor !!
Blagged another ticket minus 10.50 euro's ...
Finally out of the car park !!!!
Not enough sleep makes Mick a div !!

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Audouin's Gull